The Faux Fed

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Listen to this 'Talk of the Nation' topic

Tell me this doesn't have all the makings of a made for TV movie... A stranger shows up in a small town, says he's a federal agent riding in to clean up the local drug problem. He makes arrests, busts in doors, knocks heads (ok not literally, but there are reports of physical abuse). Turns out, though, the guy's NOT a federal agent, he's not even a cop. He made the whole thing up for reasons nobody can be quite sure of. But it wasn't the local police or mayor who found him out... It was a local reporter. And she says some people in town are actually disappointed he wasn't true blue — after all, they say, he was doing a pretty good job. That "job" has left him facing charges, put a chief of police out of a job, and left a whole town asking how something like this could happen in this day and age. We'll talk with Linda Trest, the reporter, on the show today, and find out how she got her scoop, and how this ruse went on so long.

If Bill Jacob is out on bail doing the talk show rounds...why isnt he on the show?

Sent by D | 2:55 PM | 7-2-2008

Great work Ms Trest capturing that Sgt. Bill crook! Your story reminds me of that dangerous vigilante from New York that Mr.Jameson of the NY Daily Bugle keeps trying to track down. I think that menace to society calls himself 'the Spider-Man' or something.

Sent by Mark | 3:04 PM | 7-2-2008

As a police officer in a large metropolitan dept. in California, the actions taken by the Gerald police would no way be replicated here. By grouping all police dept.'s together with this small and obviously extremely unprofessional dept., and claiming all police routinely violate the people's civil rights shows weaknesses in your guest's understanding of police work throughout the country.

Sent by Mack | 3:09 PM | 7-2-2008

Hi. I just wanted to thank Ms. Trest for her work and commitment. One of the things she had to do to get the story was to be A: Talented and B: Willing to apply that talent for little compensation or thanks in an obscure small town. Amall-town journalists like her let Americans know what is going on in their hometown while they commute to the big city.

Sent by Tim Wesselman | 3:28 PM | 7-2-2008

I'm pretty sure that all of the officers on that department should be looking for new jobs SOON. I don't think "Sergeant" is a title/rank any plainclothes federal agent would have. Any agent that would be allowed to operate independantly would have to be a lot higher up than that. How could this whole department let themselves be fooled like that?

Sent by P Miller | 11:49 PM | 7-2-2008

Well, I mean...it's not like he was wearing a cape and tights. How were we suppose to know he was just some whack job vigilante? lol!!

Sent by Tom from AZ | 12:36 PM | 7-3-2008

Maybe we should get this straight and out in the open: Bill Jacob is real if and only if you believe he's real.